


Doctor Who: of painted words and written pictures

by TARDIS_Type40_my_all_time_favourite1986



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst with a Happy Ending, Children, F/M, Falling In Love, Fear, Future, Hurt/Comfort, Letters, Love, Nine-Rose, Pictures, Two Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-04-24 01:28:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19163020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TARDIS_Type40_my_all_time_favourite1986/pseuds/TARDIS_Type40_my_all_time_favourite1986
Summary: It began one evening when he found the first letter in front of his apartment door and would extend over all the years. How much could all this gain in importance in later years, if one. Do not expect it yourself.





	1. Chapter 1 - The Years of Unknown Letters

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, to a new two - shot.
> 
> I do not want to write much about it now, just make yourself a picture of the story.
> 
> And as always I wish you a lot of fun while reading.
> 
> Allons-y!

Doctor Who is © by BBC. 

Doctor Who: of painted words and written pictures

Chapter 1 - The Years of Unknown Letters

Summer 1988

London/England/Europe

It was late evening when he finally came home exhausted from work. Also today was again one of those days where the boss let him stay longer, although he did not have to work overtime according to the employment contract. But who in the end was interested in what was written and what was finally said.

He stopped, however, as he stepped on something and after looking down, he saw a collapsed sheet of paper lying there. Curious, he picked it up and opened it. It was the drawing of a small child, but it was not a happy story as he could see.

No, there was a little girl who held her mother's hand. Above it was the bright figure of another human being. Was that the girl's father? Why was he just given such a picture at the door? Was this picture of the girl next door, who moved in with her family a few weeks ago. He took the picture to his apartment and put it there in a drawer. It would be a pity to throw it away.

Spring 1989

About a year passed when he found the drawing at his door. Since then he had not really thought about it. Until now. By now he had a better job and could be more at home.

He automatically had his eyes down when he noticed the piece of cake. In addition a drawing had been put to it, where beside the cake a banana was to be seen. Relieved, he let out a breath. Well, at least it was nothing like pears.

He smiled now. The little girl next door had a birthday today? He would wish her all the best, of course, but who knew how the other inhabitants of the house would react when they saw him spending time with her. So the only communication would be the two letters and a photo of the cake.

Autumn 1990

This time again a letter lay at his door. This time the wait was even more than a year, so he had already expected that he would receive no further letter.

But here he was. There was even something this time. He picked it up and finally smiled. It was a painted stone that shone in different shades of blue. She also had little stars glued to the surface. He checked to see if there was a name somewhere, but he could not find anything. Still, he was very happy about it.

In his living room, the stone got a very special place. Where he could see him every day. He put it next to the photo he made back then. Yes, there will certainly be more memories over time.

Winter 1991

This time he was really surprised when he found something again in front of his apartment door. It was of course another letter and a big box of Christmas cookies. Something warm wrapped around his heart. It was a long time since he had gotten this. Actually, he did not even know the taste of it.

It should be a lonely time for him again. But who invited him? Not even at the company party, which of course should also be there, that you can talk to colleagues about something private, he was looking forward to. He had been there, but kept more distance from the others.

And even today he simply wanted to stay alone, but he was interrupted by a ringing at the door. He ignored it, but it just did not stop. However, he had a very good patience and it ended so after all. He just wanted to be alone.

Winter 1992

He had not found anything outside his door for a full year. A whole year, where he now thought it was over. But today there was another letter. Since he was already curious about what was written in it, he read it. There were really words this time. These words were written by a little girl who was really disappointed with last Christmas.

He sighed. He could hardly spend time with her, it would not be right. And the inhabitants of the area would talk. It was known that the girl's father died a few years ago. And if he did not have one in mind, then become the new father of hers. Besides, he did not really feel ready to take care of a child.

He finally put the letter among the others and hoped, even if he was not so aware, that it would not be that long before the next letter. Because if he was honest, it always sent him a certain sense of joy through his heart.

Summer 1993

He heard the laugh of the little girl and even a small sound of amusement came from him. She was enrolled today and even though he had nothing directly to do with her, it still knew, since the enrollment in the last weeks was the number one topic of conversation. There was no opportunity to escape, unless you voluntarily put yourself in a coma, and even then there should be the chance that you could still hear something in the subconscious.

He did not want to seem so unfriendly, so he attached a small writing pad to the door, which was suitable for children of the little girl's age. He just hoped that the little girl's mother would not get it wrong. After all, he had not once imagined all those years.

It was still a mystery to him why he got all these letters. And it was just as surprising that no one else noticed. Did nobody come by and wonder why once a year a letter and sometimes small presents lay here? Well, it was only once a year, and maybe it did not look as if it had happened several times. He smiled and was looking forward to the next letter the following year.

Spring 1994

But there would be no more letters, no new gift. In the fall of last year, the girl's mother moved away and of course she did not just leave her child behind.

The little girl had not even written a farewell letter to him, but he was not mad at it either. Maybe she just could not, knowing that she might never be able to write to him again hurt more than he suspected.

But from now on, all the letters and drawings he had received over the years, he kept with him forever. He never wanted to forget that she was happy with his loneliness, which he had been carrying for so many years, in those few moments.


	2. Chapter 2 - The knowledge of the present

Chapter 2 - The knowledge of the present

 

Autumn/Winter 2005

 

The screams of the young woman in the apartment next door were the first thing he heard after he moved in here. Well, they probably had a party over there, after all, his neighbors were very young, still in their teenage years. But even if he complained, he had seen the man once and had to bring this experience guaranteed not again.

Fading all that away, he went to bed, hoping to find some sleep, at least. His look a lot on the stone in different shades of blue. Yes, he still had it, but why should he give it away?

It was not a quiet night, as the rumble continued from next door. And now he could hear loudly and clearly the screams of the man. Then, however, the slamming of a door and finally that it sounded as if something had fallen down the stairs.

Good, he could not just ignore that. Quickly he had pulled a dressing gown over his pajamas and went to see what had happened earlier.

He stopped when he saw someone lying at the bottom of the stairs. The person did not move and he hoped that she was unconscious and not worse. Slowly, so as not to scare her, he went downstairs.

„Um, hello?“, He tried to speak to her, „you are fine.“  
No reaction. He took her hand and exhaled in relief as he felt her pulse. So she lived. Since he did not know what else to do, he took her to his apartment and laid her there on the couch. Miraculously, she had not been hurt.

He decided to let her sleep, but he himself remained awake to be ready for an emergency as soon as possible.

„Please, Jimmy, do not hurt me. I will do whatever you want.“

He looked up, realized she was talking in her sleep. And that was not even the worst. No, the fact that she suddenly kicked around as if held by something or anyone scared him. He realized that she had a nightmare from which she could hardly escape. And now, he realized, he realized that just a few hours ago the screaming had nothing to do with a celebration.

She woke up only in the early morning. Many hours of sleep she had left behind and yet found no real peace. When she saw him, she suddenly slipped. Her hands clenched in the blanket.

„He did it, right? Really sold me to another man.“

„He was up to something!??“, he suddenly became loud, making her even more frightened.  
„Sorry, but what you just said ... he can not really mean that. And, wait, why are you suddenly opening your shirt?“

She looked at him with sad eyes.  
„I was sold to you, or not. Jimmy said he would do that. So, will you do it?“

She really could not have meant it that way.  
„Listen, I'll explain it to you again. I did not "buy" you. You lay at the bottom of the stairs and I took you to me so you would not have to go back to that asshole. You're safe here for now.“

„Yes... at least until he finds me and makes his threat to kill me come true. I really can not go anywhere. If only I had listened to Mum when she told me something was wrong, but I was just too stubborn.“

Her eyes went down: „I had a birthday yesterday, 19, a great age, right? Not everyone gets a fall from the stairs.“

He thought for a moment. Something told him that date, but he just could not think of any connection. And at the age of 19, she was not a teenager anymore.

„Good luck“, he congratulated her and even elicited a small smile.  
„Thank you. Do you think I can call Mum? I want to tell her how sorry I am.“  
„I think the only thing she wants is to know that you will not run away anymore. Why were you even with this guy.“

The young woman told him everything and he could not help shaking his head contemptuously.  
„Listen, I do not know if you might want to go somewhere else later, but I will not let you go back to him.“

He took the blue-painted stone and pressed it into her hand.  
„I got it from a girl many years ago. He was what I liked most all these years, but I think he would do it as well.“

She looked at him. Somehow he sounded familiar, as if she'd seen him many years ago, but she just did not want to remember when it might have been.

„But... If that's so important to you, why do you want to give it to me?“

„The little girl should be about your age now. And please, take him to you. Blue stands for sadness, but also for harmony. And I think you... take him, please.“

She finally smiled.  
„My name is Rose.“  
„James Smith. Thank you, Rose.“

This time she really slept through. He wondered what happened to the little girl of those days.

Rose, however, could not find peace in truth. The whole time she was accompanied by the fear that this is all just a dream and Jimmy would suddenly stand in front of her. Yes, that's how it had to be.

Nothing in life would bring her hope, but only suffering.

She stayed with James. He had offered to do it as long as she wanted, and even if she was gone one morning, he would let her go. But she did not.

It was not long before a deep friendship developed between them that eventually turned into stronger emotions. And from whom they neither wanted to escape nor could.

They filed a complaint against Jimmy Stone, and although it naturally dragged on and the defender tried everything to make Rose look bad, Stone was eventually sentenced to fifteen years in jail. Of course, he threatened to take revenge on them one day, but they did not pay attention.

As soon as they were alone in the courtroom, she fell around his neck.  
„We did it“, she called, hopping up and down, „we really did it!“

„Yes“, he could only say, they had really come out as the winners. But that was not what kept him so busy, but rather the fear that she would find someone else and then leave, of course.

But what he did not realize was that she did not intend to do so.

Spring 2006

„Happy Birthday, Rose“, he greeted her as she came into the living room.  
Rose smiled and fell into his arms the next moment.  
„Thank you very much, James. You're really the best friend I could wish for.“

He sighed silently. Yes, her best friend, that was probably all he would be for her. But he was also sure that she certainly did not want anyone who was probably her father's age.

„You know, as a kid, I'm supposed to have sent letters to my neighbor at the time. Anyway, Mum told me so. I can not really remember it myself.“

James looked up. That sounded familiar to him, but getting the letters out of his breast pocket, which he always had with him, would not be such a good idea. Besides, what could he say? Hardly that he was her former neighbor, that it could not be a coincidence that they had seen each other again after all these years and that he had fallen in love with her.

No, he had to keep all that to himself.

What he did not know was that she had, of course, found the letters long ago, but she did not speak, for she was sure that despite everything, he would not have any romantic feelings for her, and that only her friendship was anything between them remained.

That's why they finally kept their feelings to themselves.

Summer 2007

James swallowed, as he saw Rose in front of her as she walked along the beach, her feet in the water, which were now and then washed by the waves. There was nothing better for him than to see her laughing. To see how happy she was.

They were still not a couple, but with the excursion he wanted to change all this. He wanted to be with her and naturally also tell her that he was her former neighbor from back then.

„Rose?“, He asked when they finally lay in the sand, „may I ask you something?“  
„You are right now, but of course I allow you a second question.“  
He shook his head with a grin. „Okay, then my second question. Why have you never met anyone in all the months we know each other? I mean, you're young, beautiful and...“  
„Because it would feel like cheating on me if I brought somebody to us. Besides, I can not be with anyone, since my heart is already forgiven for the man who has kept my letters for all these years.“

His blue eyes looked slightly shocked.  
„You knew it all the time?“  
„Yes, at the latest when I found the old letters and pictures, I remembered it again. Not all, but the last two were still in my memory. So it could not have been a coincidence that we became neighbors again and therefore...“

He interrupted her monologue, pulling her close to her and closing her lips with his own. In this one kiss, they put all the feelings that had accumulated over time, and thus also made the promise, never to move away from the other.

Summer 2008

„Rose Marion Tyler, when I brought you from a terrible time a few years ago, I had no idea how much I was attached to you. I did not know we had more than we knew. And that's why, Rose, I want to ask you if you want to be my wife...“

He grimaced and sighed as he looked at his image in the mirror. That could not be like that.

Today was the day he found his first letter, 20 years ago, and he wanted to apply for it on that very day. Everything sounded so good in his head, so good, but in reality it was not that easy.

He sighed and left the bedroom as he noticed a trail of sheets of paper marking the way into the living room. Curious about what was behind it, he picked up the first letter. It was a drawing that reminded him strongly of the first of 20 years ago.

The second letter had a little gift with it, just as it had when the piece of banana cake was there.

Finally, he discovered the third letter. He had to smile when there was an invitation he was expected in the living room.

The fourth letter greeted him with the words that if he still had not realized what she was telling him, she was really mad at him. Of course he had, not in vain his heart suddenly beat incredibly fast.

The fifth letter had a small picture with him. An ultrasound scan where you did not really recognize anything, but he just could not take his eyes off it.

Finally, the sixth and last letter was waiting for him. He found this in the living room. Rose held him in his hands and he could only see two rings attached to each other.

„You... knew what I'm up to?“  
„Have you observed by chance and trust me, you've done really stupid.“

He just nodded and then pulled her towards him.  
„Rose Marion Tyler - Smith, you do not know how happy you make me today. I love you and you know something? You were fantastic, all the time, you were just fantastic. And so was I.“

The end.


End file.
